Consider Natural Organic Feed Supplements For Your Beef Cattle

 

Organic vs Inorganic Mineral Sources

The source of minerals in the diet can affect the performance of the animals and the cost-effectiveness of the supplementation program. The relative bioavailability of the mineral and the amount of the mineral in the supplement are important factors to consider when purchasing an organic supplement for beef cattle. Organic mineral sources are characterized by the presence of an amino acid or a carbohydrate carrier for the trace mineral that is to be fed to cattle. 

In a process informally termed chelation or proteination, the organic carrier molecule is chemically bound to the trace mineral of interest. Inorganic sources of minerals are much more commonly encountered in the North American feed industry. They are mined or chemically synthesized from natural mineral sources and are not bonded to a carrier molecule. They are fed as the naturally occurring inorganic mineral complex.

Organic mineral sources reportedly have higher bioavailabilities than inorganic sources of minerals; however, chelated minerals are usually more expensive than inorganic sources. Careful evaluation of expected benefits to animal performance in relation to added costs is warranted before exercising the option to feed organic mineral sources to beef cattle supplements. Consult an extension professional for assistance in evaluating which mineral supplement would fit best into any particular scenario.

Mineral Interactions

Proper balance between minerals is critical. Perhaps the best illustration of this principle is the relationship between calcium and phosphorus. Calcium-to-phosphorus ratios of are recommended for beef cattle diets. Variation from the recommended ratios, especially providing more phosphorus than calcium in the diet, can lead to urinary calculi, or water-belly, in steer calves. 

While striving to maintain the proper balance between dietary calcium and phosphorus, care must be taken not to get the absolute levels of these minerals too high in the diet. High levels of calcium and phosphorus increase the magnesium, manganese, iron, iodine, sulfur, and zinc requirements. beef producers should also be aware that high levels of magnesium, iron, or aluminum might interfere with the uptake of calcium and phosphorus from the small intestine.

Another important example of maintaining an adequate balance between minerals is the relationship between copper, molybdenum, iron, and sulfur. These minerals form complexes with one another in the body, reducing the amount of copper absorbed by the animal. The addition of molybdenum, iron, or sulfur to diets that are already deficient in copper is of particular concern because these minerals will further exacerbate copper deficiency. 

It is recommended that the level of copper be at least twice as high as the molybdenum content. Furthermore, in areas with high soil molybdenum, copper levels five times higher than normal may be required to overcome copper deficiency. In contrast, toxic levels of sulfur and molybdenum in the diet can be counteracted by the addition of copper.

Supplementation Strategies

Several methods are commonly used to supplement rations for beef cattle organic minerals:

• Mix minerals into a complete ration
  The best way to ensure that each animal gets the proper level of minerals in its diet is to mix a good source of the missing or deficient minerals into a complete ration. Some nutritionists recommend that minerals be offered free-choice to cattle even though the ration includes minerals. If this is done, trace-mineralized salt should be fed separately from a mixture of equal parts iodized salt and dicalcium phosphate. This will allow animals a choice of salt alone or a salt-mineral mixture with the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorus.
• Add minerals to a supplemental feed
  In this scenario, minerals should be added to a feed grain supplement at levels that are sufficient to meet requirements for all mineral elements. This approach ignores minerals supplied by the forage. Knowing the level of intake of the supplement is critical to the success of this method.
• Use free-choice mixtures
  Self-feeding minerals free-choice is a satisfactory method of mineral supplementation under most conditions; however, cattle will not have their mineral needs perfectly met with this system. Some animals will overconsume a self-fed mineral supplement while others will eat less than they need. In this system, salt or highly palatable concentrates are used to encourage supplement intake. The target intake is about 2 ounces per animal per day for most commercially available self-fed mineral supplements.